DC Mayor to Announce New HIV Treatment Effort

Published Dec 1, 2016 at 5:46 AM

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District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser is set to announce a new effort to fight HIV and AIDS.

The HIV rate in the nation's capital has declined dramatically in recent years, but it's still considered an epidemic. The city has more than 16,000 people, or 2.5 percent of the population, living with HIV.

Bowser will detail new goals for HIV treatment on Thursday. She hopes that by 2020, 90 percent of people will know their HIV status and 90 percent of those who have the virus will be getting treatment. She also hopes to cut the number of new diagnoses by 50 percent by 2020.

The MAC AIDS Fund is contributing $1 million to the effort. The money will go toward expanded testing and treatment programs.